Grigori Rasputin, the only man who could "heal" Alexei, the Last Tsarevich of Russia. Empress Alexandra became very close to Rasputin, and shunned everyone who spoke against him. Rasputin was also very close to the Grand Duchesses, which alarmed a lot of people including Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna.

Family nicknames for Anastasia were "Malenkaya," "little (one)," or "shvibzik," the word for "imp." Living up to her nicknames, young Anastasia grew into a vivacious and energetic child, with blue eyes and strawberry-blonde hair. Margaretta Eagar, a governess said one person commented that the toddler Anastasia had the greatest personal charm of any child he had ever seen. While often described as gifted and bright, she was never interested in the restrictions of the school room,